


Shore Leave in Georgia

by Auduna_Druitt



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Drama, Established Relationship, F/M, Father-Daughter Relationship, Fluff, Implied Sexual Content, Morning Sex, Outdoor Sex, Reader Insert, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-13
Updated: 2017-07-15
Packaged: 2018-12-01 20:18:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 16,805
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11493993
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Auduna_Druitt/pseuds/Auduna_Druitt
Summary: Leonard finally gets a chance to introduce Reader to his family and even gets some alone time.





	1. Meeting the Family

The Enterprise had been docked above Earth for twelve hours and the crew had eagerly begun to board the shuttles headed for the planet. Leonard escorted you to the shuttle bay and saw you off with the promise that he’d see you soon. The senior officers had to report to headquarters while the rest of the crew was cleared for shore leave. You watched out the window of the shuttle as the Enterprise got farther and farther away. 

A full day later you stepped out of the shuttle that has brought you to the other side of the country. At the last minute Leonard had requested you meet him in his hometown in Georgia and now you are standing outside the McCoy family home. You stare at the white two-story house with the wrap around porch. He slips his hand in yours and smiles. “Don’t worry Darlin’, they’re gonna love you.”

“Are you sure?” You ask looking up at him.”

He puts his arm around you, “Positive.”

The front door opens and a tiny brown hair girl flies toward the two of you. She wraps her arms around his legs a squeals. “Daddy!! I missed you!”

He grins and prying her from his leg, kneels down to her level. She wraps her arms around his neck and he puts an arm around her. “I missed you too Doodle-bug.”

A young woman steps out the front door and leans on the rail post at the top of the stairs. “You gonna let your daddy in the house or are you planning on stayin’ out here all night?”

He looks up at the woman, “We’re comin’ Donna. Just hold your horses.” He shifts the girl around behind him and hoists her up on his back. Standing to his feet he offers you his arm. You slip your arm in his and together you walk up to the house. Once you get to the stairs he slides the girl down to the ground. “Hey little sis.”

She shakes her head, “It’s about time you got to come home. We haven’t seen you since graduation.”

“I’ve been busy.”

She raises an eyebrow and glances at you. “Not too busy I see.” She grins, “Leonard talks about you in every message we get. Seems my big brother is quite smitten with you. Joanna and I have been looking forward to meeting you.” She puts a hand on Joanna’s shoulder. “Jo why don’t you go upstairs and put on your new outfit? I bet your daddy would love to see it.”

Joanna’s eyes light up, “Be right back!” She runs into the house and disappears up the stairs. 

Donna laughs, “Come in. Fred’s offworld right now so it’ll just be the four of us. If you’ll excuse me I should go check on the cake.” She turns and walks into the house leaving the two of you alone on the porch. 

He laughs and leads you into the house after her. “She can come on a little strong sometimes but she means well.” He closes the door behind you and turns into the sitting room where the two of you settle on the couch. He leans back and puts his feet up on the coffee table, you settle back beside him and he puts his arm around you. 

“Joanna is adorable.”

He kisses you on the temple, “You’re pretty adorable yourself darlin’.”

“Daddy, are you ready?!” Joanna calls from the top of the stairs.

“We’re ready.”

“Okay! Here I come!” She runs down the stairs and stops in the door. “Ta-da!” She spins around to show off her doctor’s uniform. 

“I love it sweetheart! Aunt Donna got you that?”

She nods and fiddles with the hem of her shirt. “Uh-huh, cause I wanna grow up and be just like you daddy.”

He drops his feet to the floor and leans forward, “Come here Doodle-bug.” She walks over and he wraps his arms around her and pulls her up onto the couch beside him. “I love you so much, you know that?”

She nods, “Yes daddy. I love you too.”

 

~*~ Three hours later~*~

Leonard sits on the floor with his back against the couch, Joanna in his lap, and you snuggled up beside him. He flips the page of the photo album he and Joanna are holding. Joanna grinning ear to ear talking non-stop about every picture. You shift slightly and he turns and kisses your forehead. 

There is a knock at the door and he looks from you to Joanna. “Hey Donna?”

She peers around the door frame, “Yeah?” She grins, “Don’t get up, I’ll get it.”

Leonard smiles, “Thanks sis.”

She disappears around the corner. The sound of the door opening and low voices reaches the sitting room. A moment later Donna steps into the door frame, Leonard looks up. “Who was it?”

“Just some drunk.”

“Hey! Is that anyway to talk about your brother’s best friend?” Kirk asks as he steps into sight. 

Joanna jumps up and runs to him. “Uncle Jim!”

He picks her up and gives her a bear hug. “Hey short stuff!”

“I’m gonna be a doctor like my daddy.”

Kirk grins, “Can I tell you a secret?” She nods and he whispers something in her ear. She kisses him on the cheek before he puts her down. 

Donna holds a hand out to her, “Come on Jo, I need your help decorating the cake.”

“Can I lick the bowl?”

Donna glances up at Kirk as Joanna takes her hand, “Have you been good?”

“What are you talking about? I’m always good.” 

Donna laughs and the three of them disappear into the kitchen. You swing your legs over his and put an arm around his neck. He pulls you closer and kisses your neck. “I told you they’d love you.”

You smile and clasp your hands together. He continues kissing your neck and collarbone. You close your eyes and smile, burying a hand in his already messy hair.

“Get a room will you?”

You blush and turn away from Kirk. Leonard glares at him over your shoulder, “It’s my damn house I can do what I please wherever the hell I please.”

Kirk takes a step back and holds his hands up, “I just came to tell you dinner is ready.”


	2. Domesticity

You roll over in the bed and a cold draft hits your hand. You frown and feel around on the other half of the bed. Raising your head you open your eyes and find the bed empty. Sighing you sit up and glance at the time. Eight o’clock. You turn back to the empty bed and notice a piece of paper stuck to the pillow. Picking it up you smile as you read Leonard’s messy handwriting.

_ Donna had to leave early and I didn’t want to wake you. Come down when you’re ready and I’ll make breakfast. _

Setting the note on the bedside table you walk over to the dresser and pull out a worn red t-shirt with “Ole’ Miss” across the front in fading blue letters. You pull the oversized shirt on and slip into a pair of leggings before heading downstairs. Walking into the kitchen Kirk grins at you from the dining room table, “Nice shirt.”

Leonard looks around and smiles at you. “Good Morning! I thought you’d sleep later than this.”

You shake your head and make your way over to him, “I guess I’m just used to being on the ship.”

“I do like the shirt.” He says as he moves a pot from the stove to the counter behind him. 

You smile and wrap your arms around his waist. “It’s comfy and it smells like you.”

Kirk snarls his nose, “I think I’m gonna go. I can’t handle all this lovey dovey business.” He stands to his feet and ruffles Joanna’s hair. “Later small fry.”

She looks up at him, “Bye Uncle Jim.”

Leonard stares down at you and waves Kirk off, “Bye Jim.” He bends his head down and kisses you on the forehead. “You hungry? I’ve got biscuits about to come out of the oven and the sausage gravy is ready.”

You raise an eyebrow and peer into the pot on the counter beside you, “You cooked? Is it edible?”

His hands slip down to your waist and he leans in closer to you, “You know what I ought to do to you for that?” he says quietly.

You nod and kiss his cheek, “Maybe later. I think your biscuits are burning.” 

“Dammit!” He releases you and spins around to the oven. Grabbing the potholders he pulls the door open and yanks the tray out. Dropping the tray on the stovetop he sighs.

Joanna turns around in her chair to look at him, “Did you burn them daddy?”

“No doodle-bug, they’re just a little more brown than usual.” he says, transferring the biscuits to a plate.

“Aunt Donna says you never learned to cook.”

He takes the plate over to the table and sets it down in the center. “Aunt Donna doesn’t know what she’s talking about. I’m a perfectly good cook.” 

  
  


~*~A few hours later~*~

Leonard bustles about in the kitchen putting things away after his run into town. You sit curled up on the couch with Joanna reading some of her favorite books with her. Leonard steps in and smiles, “I’m sorry to disturb you two but darlin’ your comm just went off.”

You nod, “Sorry Joanna, I’ve got to take this. It’s probably my daddy wanting to know when it’s his turn to seen me.”

“Okay. We can finish this book later.” She takes the book from you and marks your place. 

Leonard hands your comm to you, “I’d have answered it but…”

“That’s okay. I’ll try not to be too long.” you say as you head up the stairs to your room.

You call your dad back and update him on where you are and when you’ll be home to see him. He hands you over to your mother and then she hands you over to your sister. Your sister has to tell you everything that’s happened to her, in great detail, since the last time you spoke. Rolling your eyes you make a mental note to speak with your sister more often so she doesn’t do this the next time you have leave.

After two hours of being passed back and forth and listening to your sister’s stories, your family finally lets you go. Flipping your comm closed you shake your head, “That’s my family all right.” you mutter to yourself.

You set your comm on the top of the dresser and open the door. Joanna’s giggles ring through the air. You follow the sound down the hall and find her bedroom door slightly ajar. Smiling you take in the sight before you. Leonard sits opposite Joanna at a small pink table, his knees drawn up almost to his chest, with a pink and white feather boa draped around his neck. As he lifts a small teacup to his lips you notice the bright pink fingernail polish on his left hand. Joanna has obviously kept him busy. 

Joanna looks up and you place a finger to your lips. She smiles, “Daddy would you like another cup of tea?”

He sets the cup down. “I would love another cup ma’am. That is some of the best tea I’ve had in a long time.”

You cross your arms and lean on the doorframe. “What about my tea?”

He turns so quickly that the chair he’s sitting in falls over backward. “Whoa!”

Joanna jumps out of her seat and kneels beside him. “Are you okay daddy?” she asks putting a hand on his shoulder.

He smiles, “I’m alright.”

You help him to his feet and he takes the boa off and drapes it over your shoulders. “Have a good talk with your dad?”

“It was more of a family call. I think I talked to everyone but the dog.”

He laughs and turns to Joanna. “Why don’t we go back downstairs and do some coloring?”

She takes you by the hand and pulls you toward the stairs. “Come on! You can use my best crayons!”

Two coloring books, a dance party, another makeover for Leonard, one dinner, and a bathtime later you close the last book of the night. Leonard stands in the door watching as you pull the covers up and kiss Joanna on the forehead. You walk over to him and he puts an arm around you as he pulls the door so it’s left slightly ajar. “I’ll meet you out on the porch. I need to clean up some before I venture outside.” He says quietly.

You glance up at him smiling. Joanna had insisted on borrowing you blue eyeshadow and applying heavily to her father’s eyelids. She was right it’s a good color on him but you also understand why he wants to get cleaned up. You kiss him on the cheek. “Don’t be too long.” Turning from him you head down the stairs and out the front door onto the large porch. Smiling you settle on the porch swing. You close your eyes begin swinging slightly in the cool night air. Leonard comes out a few minutes later in a pair of black lounge pants and Starfleet Academy sweatshirt. 

He stops and looks at you, “Enjoying yourself?”

Opening your eyes you nod and pat the swing next to you. “I’d enjoy it more if you were with me.”

He takes a seat and puts an arm around you. You lean on him and pull your feet up into the seat letting him take over swinging. You shiver slightly in the cool night air and pulls you closer to him. Together you sit in silence listening to the sound of the breeze blowing through the trees next to the house, an owl hooting in a distant tree, and the hoofbeats of horses running in the neighbor’s pasture.

A while later Donna comes home and finds both of you asleep on the swing. She wakes Leonard and goes inside to check in on Joanna. Leonard scoops you up in his arms and carries you up to your room where he lays you carefully on the bed before pulling off his sweatshirt and sliding into the bed beside you.


	3. Alone at last

The next morning you wake up before the sun has even come up. You open your eyes to find yourself staring up at the ceiling of Leonard’s room. Sighing you roll over and snuggle up to his side. He wraps his arms around you and kisses your forehead. 

“Did I wake you up Lee?”

He rests his head on yours, “Uh-uh. It’s time for Alpha shift.”

You smile and snuggle up closer to him, laying your head on his chest. The sound of his strong, steady heartbeat and the warmth of his arms around you lull you back to sleep. All too soon for your liking the sun streams in through the large windows. You bury your face in your pillow and groan. Waking up on the ship was never a problem since you were more of a night owl anyway but waking up on Earth is another story entirely. Laying in the bed for a while longer, you didn’t realize Leonard was gone until you heard the bedroom door open.

You lift your head from the pillow and smile at the sight before you. He walks in he door carrying a tray of pancakes, syrup, and whipped cream and wearing nothing but an apron emblazoned with the words, “Caution, Extremely Hot”. You raise an eyebrow and sit up in the bed. “What did Donna think about that get up?”

He sets the tray down on the nightstand. “Donna isn’t home. She took Joanna to San Francisco to meet Fred. They won’t be back til late.” He picks up the can of whipped cream and squirts some on his finger. “It’s just you and me babe.” he says licking the whipped cream off.

You bite your bottom lip, “In that case…” you take the can in one hand and his hand in the other. You squirt whipped cream on the tip of his index finger before wrapping your lips around it and sucking it off. Giving it one last lick for good measure you look up at him with a smirk. 

He shakes his head. “Hungry for something other than pancakes I see.” 

You swing your legs over the side of the bed and tug at the strings dangling at his waist. The apron hanging loose around his waist, you stand to your feet. He puts his hands on your waist and leans forward to kiss you passionately on the lips. When he breaks away he strips your shirt off and drops it on the floor leaving you exposed before him. You return the favor by slipping his apron off over his head. 

“We’re not quite even yet darlin’.” he says as he gently lays you back on the bed. He leans over and nips at your collarbone before slowly trailing kisses from your collarbone down to your belly button. His hands brush your sides and his eyes never leave your face as he begins pulling at the waistband of your leggings.

~*~ A while later~*~

You sigh contentedly and snuggle closer to Leonard, your arm draped across his chest. He gives you a little squeeze and kisses your forehead. You smile as he begins running his fingers lightly up and down your arm. A shiver runs up your spine. 

“Am I gettin to you Darlin’?” He breathes into your ear. 

You smile and pull yourself up, swinging one leg over him to straddle him. Leaning forward you kiss his chest, his neck, and nibble on his ear. “Am I gettin to you Darlin’?” you whisper in his ear. 

He smirks and flips you on your back, his arms braced on either side of your head. You wrap your legs tightly around his waist. “Why Doctor, I don’t believe I’ve ever seen this side of you.” 

“The hell you haven’t.” he says with a furrowed brow, “Remember that time on Rigel five?” 

You grin and put a hand on his chest. “Why don’t you remind me?” 

He leans down and kisses  _ that _ spot on your neck. You gasp and arch into him, your skin prickling from the contact. You wrap your arms around him when you feel one of his hands brush your hip. He presses his hand on your lower back before inching his way up your spine. You shiver against him. He sits back on his heels pulling you up with him. Resting on his thighs you smile and press your lips to his, one of your hands finding its way into his hair. After a moment you come up for air, you tilt your head slightly and touch your forehead to his. “Leonard.”

He smiles, “Yeah Darlin’?”

“I’m hungry.”

He laughs and nods, “Just like Rigel five. Let’s go downstairs and get you something to eat.” 

You release your grip on him and slip back to the bed, he stands and grabs a pair of sweatpants and an oversized shirt. He tosses the shirt on the bed and slips into the pants. You grab the shirt and slip it on over your head. He shakes his head at you. “Why is it that every piece of clothing I own looks better on you than it does on me?”

You grin and step out of the bed, “I think you look pretty good in anything.”

He steps over to you and puts his hand in yours. “I’d look pretty silly in your uniform.”

You giggle and nod, “Yeah I guess you would.”

He gently pulls you toward the door and you follow him down the stairs and into the kitchen. You take a seat at the table while he makes you both a sandwich. He sets the plates on the table, grabs two glasses off the counter and a pitcher from the fridge. He settles in the chair beside you and pours both of you a glass of tea. 

After you've finished eating you pick up your plate and take it to the sink. You look around the kitchen and shake your head. “Did a tornado come through here?”

He stands and picks up his empty plate. “So I made a little mess…”

You raise an eyebrow and gesture to the flour covered counter, batter covered stove, and caked dishes piled high in the sink. “A little mess?”

He sets his plate beside the sink and wraps his arms around you. You pat his arm. “If I help you we can get this done in no time.”

“We can clean up later.” He breathes in your ear. A shiver runs down your spine but you shake your head. 

“It’ll never get done if we don't do it now. I don't want Donna coming home to this mess.”

He sighs and hangs his head. “Alright. Let's do it.” He steps beside you and turns the water on. 

You smile and grab a rag to clean the counter. “Thank you Lee.”

He grumbles slightly but sets to work. Those legendary hands of his are good at many things. He makes quick work of he dishes and helps you finish up the stove by getting the tougher spots you were struggling with. He puts the rags away while you rinse off your hands in the kitchen. 

You turn around to dry your hands and find him standing right behind you. He lifts you up off the floor and you wrap your legs around his waist. He grins, “Where were we?”

With one hand already in his hair and the other on his cheek you lean into and kiss him long and hard. An all too familiar chirping noise carries down the hall and he groans. You stop and look at him, “I believe that's yours my dear. You should probably answer it.”

“It's probably just Jim.” He says taking a couple of steps forward so that you’re sitting on the edge of the counter. He leans in to kiss you again but you put a finger to his lips. 

“Not until you've answered that. It could be important.”

“Or it could be Jim.”

You nod, “In which case he won't stop calling until you answer.”

He sighs. “I give. I'll answer it.”

You smile and unwrap yourself. He kisses you on the forehead and heads off down the hall. Almost as soon as he disappears from sight the doorbell rings. “I’ll get it!” You call as you hop off the counter and head for the door. 

There's a sharp knock at the door as your hand touches the knob. You shake your head and open the door with a smile. “Hello! What can I do for you?”

The woman standing on the porch stares at you with wide eyes. You take one look at her chestnut brown hair is piled neatly atop her head, her crisp black blazer hugs her waist and her neat grey skirt that shows off her long legs and know just who she is. 

“Jocelyn! How nice to finally meet you. I've heard all about you!”

She scoffs and snarls her nose. “I've heard nothing about you. Just who are you and what are you doing in my husbands house?”

You smile politely at her. “I believe you mean  _ ex-husband _ . I’m Leonard’s girlfriend."

“A technicality my dear. Why may I ask are you dressed like that…” she says gesturing to the oversized t-shirt. “This is still the home of my daughter and if you are going to be around her I expect you to set an appropriate example.”

You nod. “Yes it is and I assure you that when she was here I enjoyed spending time with her.”

Jocelyn looks past you into the house. “And where is my daughter now? I would like to see her if you don't mind.” She says as she takes a step over the threshold. You put your arms out and brace them on the door frame blocking her from entering the house. 

“I'm afraid she's not here at the moment.”

Her eyes narrow and her lips tense, “You will let me inside.”

You smile, “I'm afraid I can't let you in.”

She huffs and crosses her arms. “Well I guess I expected too much from Leonard's  _ latest _ little tramp.” She says with a satisfied little smirk. 

“I’m sure you are well aware that Leonard hasn't dated much since you abandoned him and your daughter. I'm sure you are also aware that he doesn't bring just anyone home to meet his beautiful little girl. Now if you would kindly leave, he has better things to do than listen to whatever you might have to say to him.”

She bristles indignantly, “I have every right to be here! This is my daughter’s home!”

You nod, “As I already told you, she's not here. You need to leave.”

Her face turns bright red and she slaps you hard across the face. You put a hand up to your cheek where she made contact and stare at her in disbelief. The blood drains from her face and you feel a hand on your shoulder. You look up to see your very angry boyfriend. His expression softens and he gently takes your hand away from your face. “Are you okay?” He asks quietly. 

You nod and he wraps an arm around your shoulders. He looks back at Jocelyn and glares daggers at her. “How dare you come to _my_ _home_ and treat my girlfriend with such disrespect! She did nothing to deserve that! Joanna is not here and even if she was, you have no right to even see her! _You_ walked out on _us_! Now get the hell off of my property!”

Speechless she turns and rushes down the stairs back to her waiting car. Leonard watches as she speeds off and disappears down the road before he closes the door. He places a finger under your chin and gently lifts up to get a better look at your face. “She got you pretty good Darlin’, maybe we should put some ice on that.”

You wrap your fingers around his wrist and grin. His heartbeat pounds beneath your fingers. “She got you all worked up.”

“You sure you’re alright?” He asks. He's got that worried look in his eye. 

“Well now that you mention it...I think I might need a check-up.” You say with a hint of a smirk. 

The look of worry vanishes and is replaced by a devilish gleam. “Well why didn't you say so. Follow me to my office and we’ll get you fixed right up.” He says as he leads you back up the stairs to the bedroom. 


	4. The Best Birthday

Panting you collapse on Leonard's chest. He wraps his arms around you and kisses the top of your head. You slip a hand up to his face and stroke his cheek, forgetting to shave for the last few days has made his face a little rougher than you’re used to. Smiling you slip your hand down just below his jaw and place your fingers to his carotid, his heartbeat matching pace with your own. After a while the steadiness of his breathing and the warmth of his embrace lulls you to sleep.

A couple of hours later you wake to find Leonard quietly snoring beside you. Smiling you carefully peel back the blanket and slip out of the bed. You tip-toe into the bathroom and look at yourself in the mirror, you wrinkle your nose. Your day with Leonard has done nothing for your hair, it sticks out all over your head and hasn’t been this tangled since you were a kid. Shaking your head you turn the shower on and attempt to run a brush through your hair while the water warms up. When the steam starts rising in the shower you step in and let the water cascade down your back.

Sighing you splash water on your face and reach for the shampoo. The shower door opens and Leonard steps in behind you. “Let me get that for you.” He says taking the bottle from you. He flips the top open he squeezes the shampoo into his hand and sets the bottle aside. Rubbing his hands together he begins massaging the shampoo into your hair. He turns you around and smiles, “Close your eyes Darlin’.”

You close your eyes and he moves you under the water so he can rinse your hair. When you open your eyes again he’s grinning at you. “You look like the cat that ate the canary.”

His leans forward and kisses you. “I just realized that you’ve spent most of your birthday in your birthday suit.”

You smile and put your hands on his shoulders. “I can go get dressed…”

He cuts you off by leaning down and kissing your collarbone while backing you against the wall. He lifts you up just a little and you wrap your legs around him. Still ginning he starts sucking on your collarbone and making his way up your neck. You lean your head back against the shower wall and shudder against him, your nails digging into his back. He nips at your earlobe and shifts you slightly causing you to grip him tighter. 

The hot water is beginning to run out when you finally reach over and turn if off. Leonard grabs a towel from the closet and wraps you up in it. Sweeping you off your feet he carries you back into the bedroom. “Sit down Darlin’.” You giggle and sit on the edge of the bed. He takes a seat behind you with a leg on either side of you. Taking a brush from the side table he runs it through your hair. 

A few short minutes later he’s finished braiding your hair. After he ties it off you stand and turn to face him. “Just where did you learn to do that?”

He shrugs, “I know someone…”

You wrap your arms around him and he winces. You take a step back from him. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

He shakes his head, “It’s nothing. Don’t worry about it Darlin’.”

You cross your arms and raise an eyebrow, “Don’t lie to me Leonard Horatio McCoy.”

He sighs and stands to his feet. “Alright.” He turns his back to you and you gasp. His back and shoulders are covered in scratch marks. 

You reach out and gingerly touch the red marks. “Lee, I’m sorry. I didn’t realize…”

He turns to you and wraps his arms around you. “I’ll be fine. It’s nothing we can’t fix with a dermal-regenerator.” 

Downstairs the front door closes with a thud followed by footsteps running up the stairs, and someone pounding on the door. “Daddy, we’re home! Guess who came with us!” Joanna calls through the door. 

“Hey Bones, Jo invited me to spend the night and go swimming in the lake tomorrow!” Joanna giggles and squeals and the footsteps retreat back downstairs. 

Leonard shakes his head and sighs. “I guess that means we should get dressed and go downstairs.” He kisses you on the forehead and heads back into the bathroom. 

You grab your favorite blue dress from your bag and slip it on. Leonard comes back out of the bathroom in a pair of lounge pants and grabs a t-shirt from the dresser. You pick the apron up off the floor and toss it at him. “Might want to put that up.” 

He grins, “I’ll tuck it away for later.”

You open the bedroom door and glance over your shoulder. “Is that a promise?”

He shoves it in a drawer and closes it. Slipping up behind you he puts a hand on your waist and leans down. “Yes ma’am it is.” he breathes in your ear.

The two of you go downstairs and find Jim and Joanna in the living room playing Go Fish. Leonard takes a seat beside Joanna. “Have fun in San Francisco Doodle-bug?”

She nods, “Yes daddy. Uncle Jim took me to the candy store!”

Leonard looks at Jim, “Oh he did, did he?”

Jim shrugs, “What’s an uncle for if not to spoil her?”

You smile and head into the kitchen to find Donna and Fred getting dinner ready. “Anything I can do to help?”

Donna looks up and smiles, “I think we’ve got this covered. Thanks for cleaning up the kitchen by the way.”

You frown and cock your head slightly, “How’d you know I cleaned?”

“Everything was put up right. When Leonard does it it’s never done right.” She takes the tea pitcher from the fridge and brings it to the table. Fred sets the table and disappears into the other room. “Did you and my brother have a good day?”

You smile and nod, “Best birthday I’ve had in awhile.”

Fred returns with Jim, Leonard, and Joanna in tow. Jim smiles, “That’s always good to hear. Isn’t it Bones?” he says clapping him on the back.

Leonard grimaces and nods his head, “Yeah Jim.”

Donna frowns at her brother. “You okay?”

He sits down at the table, “I’m fine, just hungry. What’s for dinner?”

Joanna walks over to her father and stands on her tiptoes to kiss him on the cheek. “Fried chicken and mashed potatoes.”

He smiles, “I should have known we were having your favorite.”

She giggles and sits down in her chair beside her father. You take a seat on the other side of Leonard as Donna and Fred set the platters of food on the table. 

Halfway through dinner Donna looks up at you and Leonard. “I heard Jocelyn dropped by this afternoon.”

“Yeah, she came by.” Leonard says grumbling.

You set your fork down and reach for your tea, “She was an absolute  _ peach _ .”

Leonard almost chokes on his potatoes. You set your tea down and pat his carefully on the back. Kirk raises an eyebrow. “Chew Bones. You’re supposed to chew.”

Leonard glares at him over the top of his tea glass and the rest of the meal continues in relative silence. Once the plates have been cleared Joanna takes you by the hand. “Will you tuck me in tonight?”

You smile and nod, “I’d love to Joanna.”

She grins and wraps her arms around your legs. “You’re a good mommy.”  she says quietly.

You look up at Leonard and he just smiles at you. He once told you that was one of the reasons he fell for you. He loved the way you were with the kids at the hospital, you treated each one as if they were your own. He didn’t mention Joanna until at least the fifth date and he’d seemed angry when he found out you’d been transferred to the Enterprise. He later told you that it was only because he was afraid you’d get hurt and he wouldn’t be able to focus on his work knowing the potential danger you’d be in. Now neither of you could imagine being without the other. 

You pick Joanna up and settle her on your hip. She yawns and lays her head on your shoulder. Leonard stands to his feet and brushes her hair out of her face, “I’ll be up in a few minutes.” he says kissing her on the cheek. 

You carry Joanna up to her room and help her into her pajamas before tucking her into her bed. As you move to leave she grabs your hand. “Stay with me til I fall asleep?”

Smiling you nod and settle in beside her. “Of course I will Joanna.”

Half an hour later when Leonard comes up to say goodnight he finds the both of you fast asleep, Joanna holding your hand and her favorite teddy bear. He smiles and kisses you both on the forehead. “Goodnight my angels.” he whispers as he closes the door behind him.


	5. Exploring

Leonard wakes to an empty bed and the sun streaming in through the window. He smiles sleepily and slips out from under the covers, scratching his head he shuffles to the door. Following the smell of freshly brewed coffee, he makes his way down the stairs and into the kitchen. He opens the cabinet and takes out a mug covered in a child's doodles and emblazoned with the word “Daddy” written in sloping letters. Still in a daze he pours himself a cup of coffee. 

Jim bounds into the kitchen with Joanna on his shoulders. “There’s sleeping beauty!”

Leonard grumbles and glares at his friend. Joanna leans down, “Uncle Jim, you're not supposed to talk to daddy before he's had his coffee.” She whispers loudly in his ear. 

He nods, “That's right! I forgot.” He lifts her up and sets her on the floor. “Why don't you tell him the plan while I go tell aunt Donna he's up?”

Joanna smiles and nods. Jim walks out the back door while Joanna approaches her father. “Daddy?”

He takes a sip of coffee and looks at his daughter. “Yes, doodle bug?”

“Me and Uncle Jim, Aunt Donna and Uncle Fred are gonna go to the lake and go swimming. You can come with us if you want but you don't have to.”

He sets his mug down and drops to one knee in front of her. “I'd love to go swimming with you but there's something I want to do first. I was thinking….”

The door opens behind him and you walk in with Jim. Jim grins, “Did you tell him Jo?”

She nods and smiles. “Uh-huh. He wants to do something before he goes swimming with us.”

Jim raises an eyebrow and glances at you. “I wonder what he could possibly want to do…” You elbow him hard in the ribs. 

Leonard smiles at you while Jim rubs the spot on his side. You walk over to him and he stands up. Placing your hands on his shoulders you kiss him. “Good morning handsome.”

“Good morning, Angel.”

Jim steps past him and lifts Joanna up onto his shoulders. “We’re going to get ready for swimming.”  

Leonard says nothing, he just stares into your eyes smiling. Jim claps him on the back. “Bones! I'm taking your kid upstairs to find her swim stuff.”

Leonard glances over at him. “Yeah, she can tell you where it is.”

Jim shakes his head and walks out of the kitchen with Joanna. Leonard frowns slightly. You interlace your fingers behind his neck. “What's wrong?”

“Why didn't that hurt?”

You smile, “I was up early so I grabbed the dermal regenerator and fixed you up while you were asleep. You didn't budge one bit. I must have really worn you out yesterday.”

He puts his hands on your waist and lifts you up onto the counter. You pick his coffee mug up and grin. “This is a way better mug than the “Doctor call the shots” one you have on the ship.” 

He takes the mug from you and sets it aside. “I want to talk to you about something.” He says quietly. 

You fold your hands in your lap and nod. “I'm listening.”

“Last night when I went to say goodnight I found you asleep with Jo. That's something her mother wouldn't have done. In fact this whole weekend has been the opposite of what a weekend with Jocelyn would have been like. I love how much you love my little girl and I love how much she loves you. The two of you truly belong together.”

You smile and cup his face in your hands. “You mean,  _ we _ belong together. The three of us.”

He kisses you and you slide off the counter into his arms. Breaking the kiss he touches his forehead to yours. “Stay right here?”

You bite your lower lip, “I won't move.”

He takes off down the hall and runs up the stairs. You can hear him moving around in the bedroom. Donna walks in to find you leaning on the counter staring up at the ceiling. “Is there something wrong with the ceiling?”

** Thump **

Donna frowns and looks up too. “Leonard?”

You nod, “He told me not to move and ran upstairs.”

She pours herself another cup of coffee and sits down at the table with the morning paper. A few minutes later Leonard returns having changed into jeans and a t-shirt. He takes your hand in his and drops down on one knee. “Darlin’ you mean the world to me. You survived an encounter with Jocelyn and you make Jo light up like no one else can.” He pulls a ring from his pocket and holds it up, “Will you marry me?”

You smile and nod, “Of course I’ll marry you.” He slips the ring on your finger and you take his face in your hands and kiss him. He wraps his arms around your waist and lifts you up off the floor. 

“Yay!!” Joanna runs over to you and wraps her arms around your legs as best she can. “Now you get to be my new mommy!”

Leonard sets you down and picks her up with one arm. She wraps an arm around your neck and kisses you on the cheek. Jim stands in the door to the kitchen leaning on the doorframe. “So does this mean we’re not going swimming?”

Joanna looks over her shoulder at him. “A promise is a promise.”

While you go upstairs to change into your suit, Leonard and Donna pack a picnic lunch for everyone. Leonard comes up to check on you and finds you staring at the sparkling ring on your finger. He steps up behind you and wraps an arm around your shoulders. You smile and pat his arm, the ring catches the sunlight from the window and throws the light around the room. “I really wasn't expecting this.”

“I know. Neither was your father.”

You frown, “My father?”

“I called him last night when you were tucking Joanna in bed. I would have rather asked him in person but I didn't want to wait any longer.” He kisses you on the cheek. “Come on. If Joanna has to wait any longer to go swimming she might burst from excitement.”

You laugh and take his hand. Together you walk down the stairs and into the kitchen where Joanna waits anxiously with her towel tucked under her arm. Donna hands you a towel and Leonard picks up the picnic basket. Your little group heads out the back door lead by Joanna, and into the tree line. 

After walking for about twenty minutes the trees thin out and you step into a large clearing with a small lake at the bottom of a hill. Water cascading over the hill and into the lake below. Donna spreads a large blanket in the ground and Leonard sets the basket down on it. Jim pulls out a bottle of sunscreen and begins applying it to Joanna and himself. Leonard smiles, “Thanks Jim.”

He nods and Joanna grabs him by the hand. “Come on uncle Jim!”

You and Leonard settle in on the blanket and watch Joanna splashing around in the water with Jim. Donna and Fred join them and venture a little farther out. You snuggle up to Leonard. “Still not a fan of swimming in the lake?”

He shakes his head. “No ma’am. I'm not too crazy about letting Joanna swim in the lake either.”

After a while you stand and pull off your shorts and t-shirt revealing your blue and silver bikini. You hold a hand out to him. “Come with me.”

He frowns, “Where are we going?” He asks as he stands and takes your hand. 

“Exploring.”

You lead him to the edge of the lake near the waterfall. He hesitates when you step out onto a rock in the water. Looking over your shoulder you smile. “I promise you’ll like this.”

He sighs and follows you along the stepping stones leading to the waterfall. You duck behind the flowing water and into a small cave. He enters the cave behind you and looks around. “How did you know this was here?”

You take his hand and pull him closer to you. “A little birdie told me.”

He puts his hands on your hips and smiles. “It's nice back here. A little damp and a little noisy but it's nice.”

“No one can see or hear us in here.” 

He smirks, “Just what did you have in mind?”

You smile up at him, “I already told you. Exploring.”

He leans in and kisses you. You bury a hand in his hair as his tongue brushes yours. You feel a tug at your hip and break the kiss. His eyes are fixed on the bow holding your bottoms together. Grinning you take the end of the string between your fingers and pull before looking up at him. “Your turn.”

He grabs the hem of his shirt and pulls it off over his head, discarding it on the sand at your feet. You tug on the string in the other side and your bottoms fall to the ground. He leans down and places a trail of kisses along your shoulder and neck. You lean your head to the side and undo his jeans. He slips them down and kicks them aside before lifting you up. You wrap your legs around him and hook your left arm under his. “I think it's time you had a taste of your own medicine Doctor.” You lean down and nip at his neck, leaving little red marks along the crook of his neck and his collarbone. 

His hands press against your lower back and you lean back a little to admire your handiwork. His cheeks are flushed, his breathing harder than normal, and he's got a look in his eye that only means one thing. With no warning his mouth clashes with yours in a passionate kiss that leaves you both breathless. 

He breaks the kiss and cautiously bites your lip, eliciting a moan from you. You dig your nails into his back as he slips his hands under your thighs and shifts you into a better position. He kisses that spot on your neck just below your ear. “You ready to explore with me Sugar?” He breathes in your ear. 

Biting your lip, you nod and brace yourself against his chest. In one swift motion he’s completely buried himself in you. You gasp and wrap your arms around his shoulders, holding him close as he begins to slowly thrust into you. He kisses you along your jaw before capturing your mouth once again, your moans muffled by his kiss. He quickens his pace and thrusts more roughly than before, causing you to cry out. “Lee...I’m...Ah!” You lean forward and bite his shoulder as you reach the edge and feel yourself clench around him. He holds you close until you’re able to come down and catch your breath a bit. 

“I’ve never seen you like that before…” You smile and lay your head on his shoulder, “but I kind of liked it.” 

He kisses you on the temple and runs a hand down your back. “I’ll try to remember that.” 

You untangle yourself from him and glance down, “We’ll have to do something about that. Sit.” 

He does as he’s told and sits on the cave floor. You gently push him onto his back and straddle him. Leaning forward you kiss him and tug on his lip as you slowly grind your hips against him. He grunts and puts a hand on your hip. “Sweetheart, if you keep that up I’m not gonna last long.”

You grin and straighten up. “Then let’s do something else.” You say as you lower yourself onto him. He puts both hands on your waist as you begin bouncing slowly up and and down. You bite at your lip and bury a hand in your hair while the other massages your breast. His hand moves from your waist to cup your other breast. You lean your head back and gasp as his thumb lightly brushes your nipple. Flickers of pleasure and heat shoot through you as he flicks his thumb over your nipple again, and you reach for his free hand, bringing it to your other breast, encouraging him to continue with both. The pace of your bounces are slowing as your legs start to tire, and you’re overwhelmed by the feeling of pleasure as he continues to play with your nipples. Sensing this, he lets go of your breasts and grabs your arms, turning and bodily flipping you over in one swift movement that takes your breath away.

He leans forward and kisses your neck as he thrusts roughly into you. You gasp and place a hand on your breast. Kissing the side of your neck he reaches for your hand and pulls it away, replacing it with his own he takes over massaging your breast. You arch under him and wrap an arm around him, digging your nails into his back as he nips at your earlobe. He moans into your neck and straightens up,  you pull your knees up and put your feet on his shoulders. His hand slides up your leg just barely touching your skin as he pounds into you, with every thrust you squeak out a moan each a little higher than the last. Placing his hand on the sole of your foot he leans down and kisses your toes before placing your toe in his mouth and sucking lightly on it. 

“Lee!”  Your back arches and you clench around him sending him over the edge. He falls forward planting his hands on either side of your head, both of you breathing hard. Pulling out he rolls over and lays beside you, sighing contentedly you snuggle up against him and take his hand in yours. He brings your hand up to his lips and gently kisses it. “Have I told you lately how much I love you?”

You laugh, “I’m pretty sure you’ve mentioned it.”

The familiar sound of a communicator reaches your ears. You pull away from Leonard and search through the pile of discarded clothes until you find the little black box. 

_ ‘Leonard?!’ _

“Sorry Donna, but it’s me. He dropped his comm...”

_ ‘One of you needs to get out here! Jim’s in trouble!’ _

You glance over your shoulder as Leonard scrambles to his feet. “On my way Donna!” You grab your bottoms and tie them back on as quickly as you can and fix your top as you race out of the cave. Bypassing the step stones, you dive through the falls and into the lake, you swim to the edge of the water and jump out. 

Donna meets you with the medkit. “He was over at the treeline with Joanna and I guess he got into some of the sumac. I’ve never seen anyone turn so red so fast.”

Nodding you hurry toward Jim, “He’s highly allergic to practically everything.”  You open the kit and pull out the hypo and a vial and shove the vial in, kneeling beside Jim you jab him with the hypo. 

Leonard runs up a few minutes later to find Jim unconscious but alive. “What happened?”

Joanna runs to her father and wraps her arms around his leg. “Uncle Jim was red.”

He pats her on the back and looks up at you. “Allergic to nature?”

“Yeah. We should probably get him back to the house.”

Leonard nods. “He’ll be out for a while.” He kneels down and takes Joanna by the hand, “Doodle-bug, We’re gonna take Uncle Jim back to the house so he can sleep. I need you to stay with Aunt Donna and Uncle Fred okay?”

She nods and hugs his neck. “Okay daddy.”

“Don’t worry pumpkin, Uncle Jim’ll be fine.”

She turns to Fred and he picks her up. Leonard looks down at his friend on the blanket and shakes his head. “It’s always something with you, isn’t it Jim?” he mutters as he hoists him over his shoulders. You gather your clothes and the medkit and follow him into the trees.

Twenty minutes or so later you open the door to the house and Leonard carries Jim into the living room. He deposits him on the couch, you gently place a hand on his back.  “I think you need another round with the dermal regenerator.” He pulls his shirt off and looks at it. Where Jim had been laying across his shoulders there were small red patches. He nods, “I didn’t even feel it.”

“Why don’t you go take a shower and get cleaned up. I’ll keep an eye on Jim.”

He smiles and kisses you on the forehead. “I won’t be long sweetheart.”

You cross your arms and smirk, “Now where have I heard that before?”

He swats you lightly on the behind as he steps past you and you give a surprised yelp. “Leonard Horatio McCoy!” 

“Keep an eye on him and behave yourself.” he says as he heads up the stairs. You head to the bookcase and run your fingers across the spines as you look through the titles.  _ Cutting for Stone, Complications, A Medical Reference Manual, Taming of the Shrew. _

You choose the book of Shakespeare from the shelf and curl up on the armchair in front of the window. 

A short while later the back door opens and Joanna runs into the living room. “Is Uncle Jim awake yet?”

You set the book aside and look over at the patient, his face and hands are no longer red and puffy, and his breathing is normal. “I’m afraid not Joanna. The two of you must have had a lot of fun at the lake.”

She smiles and nods, “We did! I showed Uncle Jim my favorite flowers, and I jumped off the rock and he caught me, and then he let me ride on his shoulders into the deep part…” The doorbell rings and Joanna grins, “I’ll get it!” She starts for the door and you jump up and follow behind her. 

“I got it Donna!”

She beats you to the door but you catch her and swing her up on your hip. She giggles as you turn the knob and open the door. Jocelyn stands with her arms crossed. “You’re still here?” She sneers at you. 

You smile and set Joanna down, “Yes Jocelyn, I am still here.” Joanna wraps her arms around your legs and hides behind you. You put a hand on top of her head. “Sweetheart, why don’t you go see if your daddy is out of the shower?” She nods and runs up the stairs.

Jocelyn glares at you. “Still here and still dressing like tramp.”

“Actually Jocelyn we just got back from swimming.”

“I want to see Leonard.” She says taking a step closer to you.

“I’m afraid he’s unavailable at the moment.”

She crosses her arms and taps her foot, “I’ll wait.” 

“Suit yourself.” you say as you close the door. 

A few minutes later Leonard comes down the stairs with Joanna and they join you in the living room. “Hey darlin’, Joanna said there was someone at the door.”

You glance out the window toward the door. “Yeah, She’s still out there. Said she wanted to see you.”

He sighs, “Jocelyn again?”

You hold a hand out to Joanna who climbs up in your lap. “I’m afraid so and she doesn’t seem very happy.

“I’ll go see what she wants. You girls stay here.” He kisses you both on the forehead before turning and walking to the door. He takes a deep breath and opens the door. “Jocelyn, what a surprise.” You hear the door close and muffled voices. Realizing he must have stepped outside to talk to her you run your fingers through Joanna’s hair and turn your attention back to Jim. 

He begins to stir and Joanna jumps from your lap and kneels beside the couch. She touches his arm gently, “Uncle Jim?” she whispers.

You stand and grab the tricorder and run a quick scan. Smiling you replace it in the kit. “Welcome back Jim.” You say as his eyes open. 

He groans and rubs his forehead. “What…?”

“The hell you are! You’re not taking my little girl anywhere!! You gave up all rights you had to her when you walked out on us!”

You glance from Jim to Joanna, he nods and you set Joanna on the couch next to him. “I’m gonna go check on your daddy okay sweetie?” She nods and you walk to the door. 

“How dare you call her that! You don’t even know her!”

You open the door and step out onto the porch behind Leonard, his hands on his hips and his face a shade of red you’ve never seen on him before. You step up beside him and gently put an arm around his waist. He relaxes slightly at your touch and his color returns to a more normal shade. “What’s going on?”

He looks at you, “She wants to take Joanna away from me.”

You cup his face in your hand, “You mean she wants to take Joanna away from us.” The sunlight catches on the diamond in your ring and sends a shower of light dancing on the ceiling and Jocelyn's dark dress. You turn to face Jocelyn. “I’m sorry you’re so unhappy with your life that you feel you need to our lives miserable. I’m afraid that you will find your efforts are in vain. Leonard, Joanna, and I would be very grateful if you would kindly find something better to do than bother us on a daily basis.”

Her jaw tenses and she glares at you. “You’re nothing more than his flavor of the month! As soon as he gets back on that ship he’ll leave you behind and find something better!”

You smile, “That would be rather difficult since I’m stationed on the same ship.”

She huffs, “We’ll see about that!”

The door opens behind you and Jim steps up beside you. “Sorry, I thought I heard you talking about my ship.”

Jocelyn stamps her foot, “You’ll be hearing from my lawyers! You’re both unfit to care for her! I’ll take you for everything you have!”

Kirk frowns, “Didn’t you do that already?”

She turns on her heel, stomps down the stairs, and storms back to her car. Leonard puts an arm around you. “Darlin’ that was wonderful.” he says pressing a kiss to your forehead. 

You smile and put a hand on his chest. “There’s no way I’m letting her take Joanna away. She’s ours and no one is going to change that.”

Small arms wrap around your leg and you glance down, Leonard lifts her up on his free arm and kisses her cheek. “Don’t worry sweetheart, we’ll take care of everything.” She lays her head on his shoulder and yawns. He smiles and rubs her back, “Why don’t you got get ready for a bath and I’ll be up in a few minutes?”

She shakes her head and reaches out to you. “I want her.”

You smile and take her from him, she wraps her arms around your neck and lays her head on your shoulder. “Looks like I get to have some girl time tonight with my favorite girl. You be okay without us?”

He nods and strokes Joanna’s hair. “I’ll go see if Donna needs any help.”

You carry Joanna back into the house leaving Leonard and Jim on the front porch. Leonard sits down on the porch swing and leans forward, his elbows on his knees. “Jim, what am I gonna do? Joanna’s all I’ve got, I just can’t lose her.”

Jim sits down beside him, “I’ll do anything I can to help you Bones.”

Leonard nods, “Yeah, thanks Jim.”

A few hours later you tuck Joann into bed and quietly slip out the door. Leonard meets you in the hall. “She okay? She was really quiet at dinner..”

You nod and wrap your arms around his waist. “She’ll be okay. She’s just scared that Jocelyn is going to take her from her family. I told her that we wouldn’t let that happen. She belongs here with us and not with that woman.” 

“I just hope she doesn’t follow through on that last threat.”

You pat his chest and grin “I don’t think you have to worry about that Lee. I’ve got friends in high places. Let’s get some sleep, we’ve all had a long day and I we’ll be able to think better in the morning.”

He sighs and smiles at you, “I’m glad I have you. What did I do to deserve a great girl like you?”

“You’re pretty great yourself.” You say giving him a squeeze. 

He sweeps you off your feet and carries you in the bedroom where he deposits you on the bed. He pulls off his shirt and slips under the covers while you change into your shorts and tank. After putting your clothes away you slide under the covers next to him. “Good night Lee.”

He rolls over and drapes an arm over you, you scoot back until you’re right up against him. He nuzzles your neck, “Good night darlin’.” he breathes in your ear. You close your eyes and before long both of you are sound asleep.

The sound of the door opening rouses you from sleep, you open your eyes and see Joanna standing beside the bed. She clutches her teddy bear and sniffles. You lift the covers and pat the bed beside you. “Climb in.”

She clambers onto the bed and snuggles up beside you. You told her close to you and stroke her hair. “It’s okay Joanna. I’m right here and I’m not going anywhere.” You whisper to her. Leonard’s hand rubs her arm and he shifts behind you.

“We’ll always be here for you princess.” 


	6. Runaway

For the second day in a row Leonard wakes up in an empty bed. He sighs as he sits up and looks at the clock. Twelve pm. He shakes his head and walks to the door, he glances down the hall to Joanna’s room to see if she's up yet and the memory of the night before rushes back to him. He groans and walks down the stairs into the kitchen. Pouring himself a cup of coffee in his favorite mug he looks up when you walk in from the living room. 

“Good morning sweetheart.” He says with a smile as he takes a sip of his coffee. 

“Good morning Lee.” You wrap your arms around his waist and look up at him. “I know it's early and you haven't had your coffee yet, but there's two people in the living room I want you to meet.”

He grumbles and puts an arm around you. “This about last night?”

“Mhmm...I told you I have friends in high places. I called first thing this morning and they came right over.”

He kisses you on the forehead, “Am I decent enough for these people?”

You step back and look from his grey lounge pants and academy t-shirt to his hair sticking out all over his head. “You should at least fix your hair.”

He sets his coffee down, turns and catches his reflection in the refrigerator, “I thought you liked my hair like this?”

You shake your head, “I said I like your hair floof. This is not floofy.” You reach up and run your fingers through his hair and smooth it out some. “This is floofy...and much better.”

“Am I ready to meet your friends now?”

You kiss him on the cheek and take his free hand in yours. “Yes. Come on.” you say as you gently pull him down the hall and into the living room.

“Darling this…” you say as you gesture to an older gentleman on the couch, “is Admiral Jonathan Archer.”

The admiral nods, “So you’re the one who stole our girl’s heart. I’ve heard a lot about you Doctor.”

Leonard nods. “Good things I hope.”

The admiral chuckles, “Mostly.”

“And this,” you say turning his attention to the woman in the chair by the window. “Is T’Pol. His good friend and aide.”

Leonard nods to her, “Ma’am.” He frowns slightly and looks at you, “Darlin’ how can they help us with Jocelyn?”

“If Jocelyn is going to try and drag us down, I plan on going down fighting. She wants to claim we are unfit to have Joanna we’ll need character witnesses. Who better than a top Admiral in Starfleet? He can vouch for us professionally as well as personally.”

“You weren’t kidding when you said you knew people in high places.”

You take his hands in yours, “Sweetheart there's something I never told you about my family...my daddy is a Judge Advocate General.”

He smiles and shakes his head. “Always full of surprises…” he says as he raises your hand to his lips and kisses it. 

Jim walks in behind you, “Morning Bones. Hello Admiral, it's nice to see you again sir.”

He nods to him, “Kirk, How's your engineer doing?”

“Scotty’s great, couldn't imagine the ship without him.” He looks back to Leonard. “There's been a slight development with the Jocelyn thing.”

Leonard sighs, “What is it?”

“Your case has been transferred...she’s trying to get you court martialed.”

“She sure didn’t waste any time trying to ruin my life. What are the grounds for the court martial?”

Jim leans back against the doorframe, “Assault, she claims you hit her.”

You feel him tensing up beside up and know that his temper is quickly rising, the vein in his forehead is more prominent, and the fire is building behind his eyes. Giving his hand a light squeeze you look up at him. “Leonard didn’t touch her either time she was here. She slapped me when I wouldn’t let her in the house the first time she came by.” 

Archer stands to his feet, “Unless she can prove you assaulted her, she’ll have a hard time convincing the courts. Between your service record and references from your friends I doubt she’ll have a chance, not to mention your daughter doesn’t even know her mother.”

Donna pokes her head in and motions for you to follow her. You smile, “Excuse me gentlemen, T’Pol.” Giving Leonard's hand another squeeze you step out of the living room and into the hall. 

“Have you seen Joanna this morning?”

You frown, “She slept with us last night and was still asleep when I got up. Why don't you look down here again and I’ll go check upstairs.”

Donna nods and turns down the hall while you head up the stairs. Leonard's room is dark and empty, the hall bath is empty, the guest bed is empty, the last room you look in is Joanna's. Her bed is still unmade but her pajamas from last night are on top of the hamper beside the door and a dresser drawer is open. You glance around the room to see if anything else is out of place. Her teddy bear is still sitting at the little table but the doll Leonard had sent her while on his last mission is nowhere to be seen. You head back down the stairs and meet Donna and Fred in the kitchen. “Any luck?”

Donna shakes her head. “I've looked all over. She’s not here.”

“Who's not here?” Leonard asks from behind you.

You turn around and face him. “Was Joanna still asleep when you got up?”

He shakes his head. “I thought she was with you.”

Your heart drops and you get a sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach. “We can't find her Lee.” You say quietly. 

He turns to Jim, “You know where Jo is?”

Jim shakes his head. “I've been talking to the Judge Advocate's office all morning.”

“She wouldn't just run off...She knows…” He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. “We have to find her.”

You slip your hand in his and give it a reassuring squeeze. “We’ll find her, Lee.” You say with a small smile. He nods and you turn to Jim. “Jim, you and Leonard check the road. Fred, check with the neighbors see if any of them have seen her.”

Fred nods and disappears out the front door, Jim puts a hand on Leonard’s back. “Come on Bones.”

“Yeah.” He says before he turns and runs out the door with Jim right on his heels.

You turn to Donna, “I’ll check the path. You stay here in case she shows up.” Opening the door to the back you head through the backyard and to the path in the trees. 

“Joanna? Joanna, where are you sweetheart?” you call as you make your way down the path. 

Halfway to the lake the sky begins to grow dark and thunder rumbles in the distance. “Joanna sweetheart, where are you?” A light rain begins to fall and the wind picks up, you glance back at the path to the house. No word from them saying they’d found her and with the weather turning, there is no way you’re going to go back without her. You head off down the path again, picking up the pace when the thunder rumbles again. Remembering the stories about his Joanna and her fear of thunderstorms, sends you running into the clearing as lightning streaks across the sky.

At the edge of the lake you spot something blue in the grass, rushing over you pick up the damp doll. “Joanna?! Where are you?!”

** Boom  **

The ground shakes beneath your feet, the rain begins to fall faster, and lightning strikes nearby. You run for cover in the cave behind the waterfall slipping in the wet rocks at the entrance. “Ouch!”

You groan and pull yourself up and into the relatively dry cave. It takes a few moments for your eyes to adjust to the dark cave but when they do you spot a small figure halfway down the cave. “Joanna?!”

The small figure looks up. You fall to your knees beside her, dropping the doll on the ground, and wrap your arms around her. “Sweetheart we were so worried about you! Why’d you run off?”

She sniffles and puts her arms around your neck. “I was afraid. I heard Uncle Jim talking to someone and they said I might have to live with her. I don't wanna live with her! I want to stay with you and daddy!” Tears fall down her cheeks and she holds you tight. 

“Oh Joanna...sweetheart we are going to do absolutely everything we can to keep you right here with us.”

** Boom **

Joanna screams as the cave shudders around you. You lean back against the cave wall, pull her into your lap and cradle her in your arms. Picking up the doll you hand it to her and she hugs it tightly. “It’s alright Jo. It's just the thunder.” You stroke her hair and smile. “Do you know what makes the thunder?”

She shakes her head and sniffles. 

“My mother told me that thunder was caused by giants bowling in the clouds. She also told me that thunder couldn't hurt me but she always stayed with me and told me stories until I forgot all about the thunder. Would you like me to tell you a story?”

Joanna nods and rubs her eyes. “Can you tell me a story about daddy?”

You smile down at her, “Of course I can.”


	7. Home

 

Thunder crashes and the rain pours from the clouds, Leonard paces back and forth in the kitchen while the others sit around the table waiting anxiously. 

“Where are they?” 

Jim looks up at his friend, “I'm sure they’re fine. They’re probably holed up somewhere safe til the rain passes.”

Leonard shakes his head, “Joanna’s afraid of thunderstorms, Jim. Ever since she was a tiny thing thunder has scared her. She would run into the my bedroom and climb under the covers every time. She’d fall asleep in my arms and I’d just watch her sleep until the storm passed.” A tear falls down his cheek. “My little girl needs me and I’m just standing around in the kitchen! Forget the storm! I'm going out to find them!”

He reaches for the door handle leading to the backyard and Donna places a hand on his arm. “Leonard, she’ll be alright. They both will. Jim’s right, they probably found somewhere to wait out the storm. Which is exactly what we are going to do.”

“Why isn't she answering her comm? That's not like her.” He says, turning to face his sister. 

“There could be any number of reasons she's not answering Leonard. Stop thinking the worst.”

The rain outside begins to slow and the sun peaks through the dark clouds. Leonard stares out the window into the backyard, lost in his thoughts. The clouds pass overhead revealing the blue sky once again. He glances at the clock on the wall, the search for Joanna started over four hours ago, he grabs his comm from the counter. “I’m going to find them.”

Jim jumps to his feet, “Not without me.” He says as he rounds the table and stands by his friend. 

Leonard gives him a small smile and nods as he opens the door and steps out into the yard. Together they make their way down the soggy path between the trees looking for anything that may bring them to find Leonard's girls. 

Almost halfway down the path they hear a rustling up ahead and stop in their tracks. Jim stares ahead. “Bones, are there any creatures in these woods I ought to know about?”

“Just the usual: deer, mice, foxes, snakes, and the odd bear.”

Jim’s eyes widen, “Bears?”

“They aren't as common around here as they used to be.”

The rustling gets closer before Leonard spots them on the path ahead. He takes off running and scoops Joanna up in his arms. “Sweetheart! I was so worried about you! Are you okay?”

She nods, “I'm okay daddy. The thunder only scared me a little. How come you never tell me stories about your ship?”

He frowns and looks to you. 

“I told her stories to keep her mind off the storm. She wanted to hear stories about you.”

“Oh Joanna, baby I’ll tell you all kinds of stories about the ship...if you promise me you’ll. Ever scare me like that again.”

“I promise. I'm sorry daddy.” She says as he kisses her forehead and sets her back on her feet. 

He looks to you and wraps an arm around you. “You had me pretty worried too you know. You went off alone into the woods and we couldn't reach you on your comm.”

You nod, “It must have fallen into the lake when I slipped. I didn't even notice it was gone for a while, I was so focused on Joanna.”

Leonard frowns and looks at you. “You slipped? Are you okay?”

“I'll be fine. It's just a twisted ankle and a few bruises.” You say with a nod. 

“Which ankle?” He asks as he squats down in front of you.

You offer him the injured foot and Jim steps over to help you balance. Leonard palpates the ankle and gently brushes a thumb over the growing bruise on your shin. Carefully placing your foot back on the ground he straightens up. “You shouldn’t be walking on that.”

You smile and place a hand on his cheek. “I'm fine Leonard.”

“I'll be the judge of that.” He says before he sweeps you up into his arms. 

Jim squats down and Joanna hops onto his back, straightening up he grins. “Race you back to the house!”

Leonard shoots him a dirty look. “Don't you dare. I don't want either of you out of my sight, and the last thing I need is you two getting hurt right now.” He says with a growl. 

Jim nods and starts walking back up the path with Leonard close behind. 

You smile and kiss Leonard on the cheek. “I love it when you talk like that.” You whisper in his ear. 

The corners of his mouth twitch up, “Just you wait til I get you alone.” He says quietly.

You give him that innocent look he loves so much, “Have I been a bad girl?”

He groans and kisses your temple. “We’ll talk about your punishment later.”

The rest of the walk to the house is quiet with Leonard keeping a close eye on Jim and Joanna. When you emerge from the tree line into the backyard, the backdoor flies open and Donna and Fred rush out followed closely by a gentleman with greying hair. You frown, “Daddy? What are you doing here?”

Leonard sets you down carefully and your father wraps his arms around you. “Jonathan called me and said that Joanna was missing. I got here right after they left to go find you.”

He releases you and holds you at arms length looking you over. You laugh, “Daddy I'm fine. We both are.” You hold a hand out to Joanna and she steps over to you. “Daddy this is Joanna, Jo this is my daddy.”

She smiles and wraps her arms around him. “You’re gonna be my new grandpa!”

He smiles and pats her on the back. “Welcome to the family Joanna. My wife can't wait to meet you.”

“Is mom here too?”

He shakes his head. “I didn't want her to worry anymore that she already was. I told her I was coming to help with the case.”

Joanna releases him and returns to Jim and Donna. Leonard holds a hand out to you your dad. “It's nice to finally meet you in person sir.”

Your dad takes his hand and gives it a firm shake. “You too son. I'm glad things turned out in the end.”

Leonard glances at his daughter and sighs. “Thank you sir. I just wish we didn't still have Jocelyn to deal with.”

“Don't you worry. We're not going to let her take your beautiful little girl away from you and we're certainly not going to let her get away with this court martial.”

Joanna take him by the hand. “Grandpa, do you want to see my room?”

He grins down at her, “I’d love to see your room sweetheart.”

She pulls him back up to the house and they disappear inside with Donna, Fred, and Jim following along behind them. Leonard puts an arm around your shoulders. “Thank you for taking care of her…”

You put a finger to his lips, “Lee, you don't have to thank me. She is  _ our _ girl after all.”

Sweeping you off your feet once more he carries you into the house. Donna closes the door behind you. “Are you two hungry? I'm about to start dinner.”

Leonard nods, “Famished. I'm going to take her upstairs and take a closer look at this ankle.”

Donna turns and begins taking things from the cupboards. “I'll call you when it's ready.”

“Thanks Donna.” He says as he carries you up the stairs and into his bedroom. He deposits you on the bed and goes into the bathroom. The sound of running water meets your ears and you smile. A few minutes later the water stops and he returns. Sitting down at your feet he carefully removes your shoes and socks, his fingers grazing over the faintly purple skin. “You should not have been walking on this ankle.” He says sternly. 

“I know, but I had to get Joanna back to you. She would have run ahead and got you but she didn't want to leave me alone. She’s going to be a good doctor one day.”

Leonard smiles, “Let’s get you cleaned up.” He stands and, lifts you off the bed, and carries you into the bathroom. He carefully sets you on your feet and pulls your t-shirt off. 

“I can undress myself you know.” you say with a smirk.

He reaches around behind you and unhooks your bra, “I know, just let me take care of you.”

You smile and kiss him on the cheek as you slip your bra off. He unbuttons your and unzips your pants and slides both your shorts and underwear down around your ankles. Lifting you up he sets you on the edge of the large clawfoot tub and you lower yourself down into the warm water. Disturbing the bubbles as you slide down the scent of roses fills the air. You sigh and close your eyes, enjoying the warm water and bubbles. 

“I’m going to go check on Joanna.”

You wave a hand at him, he laughs and walks out of the bathroom taking your clothes with him. He drops the clothes in the hamper on his way out of the bedroom. The door to Joanna’s room is open and her laughter carries down the hall. Peeking his head in the door he catches Jim’s eye. Jim nods to him and returns to the tea party before him.

Returning to his bedroom, Leonard rifles through the drawers and pulls out a clean set of clothes and lays them on the bed. He looks around for his his medkit and spots it hanging from the full length mirror. He grabs it and pulls a larger kit from under the bed, setting both kits on the bed beside the clothes he closes the bedroom door and returns to the bathroom.

He takes a bottle from he shelf and kneels beside the tub. You open your eyes and smile at him. “What are you doing now?”

“You haven't seen yourself have you?” He asks with a raised eyebrow. 

You shake your head, “Is it that bad?”

“I've seen worse.” He says as he squeezes some of the contents of the bottle into his hand. Setting the bottle on the floor he rubs his hands together and starts massaging your head. You sigh happily. “Don't get too used to this darlin’.”

“What are you talking about Lee? You always pamper me.”

Finished lathering up your hair, he rinses his hands and grabs a washcloth. Wetting it he adds a few drops of the rose scented soap. “Lean forward.” He instructs. 

You do as he says and lean forward, pulling your hair over your shoulder. He gently runs the cloth over your back and shoulders before taking the handheld shower head from its cradle. He rinses your back and then moves up to rinse the soap from your hair. When he finishes he stands to his feet and takes a robe from the back of the door. You stand, careful not to put any weight on your ankle and he helps you out of the tub and into the robe. You wrap an arm around his waist and limp into the bedroom. He settles you on the bed and returns to the bathroom to drain the tub. By the time he comes back you’ve shed the robe and managed to slip most of your clothes on. 

He shakes his head, “You can be so stubborn sometimes.”

You smile up at him. “That's what you love about me isn't it?”

Opening his medkit, while you pull your shirt on, he takes out the tricorder and runs it over your ankle. “I love everything about you darlin’.”

You wince when he lifts your foot to wrap it, he stops and looks at you. “I'm sorry.”

“It's okay. I just wasn't expecting it.” You say with a shake of your head. 

He makes quick work of the bandages and moves a pillow over to prop your foot up on. 

“Lee, I’d rather go downstairs...so I can be with everyone.”

He sighs, “Alright, as long as you stay off that foot.”

You wrap an arm around his waist when he helps you to your feet and you lean on him as he guides you out into the hall. Joanna runs out of her room squealing, closely followed by Jim wearing a cape and cackling. “Just hold still! This won’t hurt a bit!” 

She giggles and runs down the stairs. Jim stops and leans on the railing, “So how’s the foot?”

Leonard raises an eyebrow, “It’ll be fine. Just what are you doing with my daughter?” 

Your dad comes to the door of Joanna’s room. “He was just telling her a story about one of your missions.”

“Dinner’s ready!” Donna calls from the kitchen.

“I’m starved! Anyone else hungry?” Jim grins and sprints down the stairs. 

Shaking his head, Leonard lifts you up into his arms and carries you down the stairs to the dining room, your dad following behind you. Setting you down in a chair at the table he takes a seat beside you and pulls your foot up to rest it on his thigh. 

After dinner everyone goes into the living room and Donna pulls out some old board games and a deck of cards. She sets up a card table and her and Frank disappear into the kitchen to clean up. Leonard grabs the cards and starts shuffling them. Joanna snuggles up beside you on the couch, you put an arm around her and play with her hair while you watch your captain, your fiancé, and your father playing cards. 

By the time the guys are on their third hand both you and Joanna have fallen asleep. Your father says goodnight and leaves while Jim picks Joanna up and takes her upstairs. Leonard gently wakes you. “It's been a long day. What do you say we get some sleep?”

You nod and hold your arms out to him. He leans down and you wrap your arm around his neck as he lifts you from the couch. Laying your head on his shoulder he carries you up the stairs and into his room. He lays you on the bed and puts a pillow under your foot. “I'm going to check on Joanna. I’ll be right back.”

You nod and snuggle into the pillows while he turns and walks out the door. He bumps into Jim in the hallway. “She's out like a light.”

Leonard smiles, “Thanks Jim.”

“It was nothing.” He says with a shrug. 

Leonard puts a hand on his shoulder. “I really appreciate everything you've done for her...and for me. You're the best friend I could have asked for. Even if I sometimes wish I didn't know you.”

Jim smiles and pats him on the shoulder. “You too Bones.”

He heads down the stairs and Leonard walks back into the bedroom to find you sound asleep. He brushes a strand of hair aside and you smile. He pulls his shirt off and changes into a clean pair of sweatpants before slipping in the bed beside you. Rolling over, you snuggle up against him and put a hand on his chest. 

  
  



	8. A Day of Surprises

  
  


Opening your eyes to the morning sun, you snuggle back against Leonard’s chest, his arms wrapped around you. Shifting your hips, you feel something poking against your lower back. Reaching behind you, you run your hand down his bare stomach, he grumbles and rolls over on his back. You lay your head on his shoulder and rub across his lower stomach from one hip to the other. He thrusts his hips up against your hand and you smile, dipping your hand down below the waistband of his sweats. 

Wrapping your fingers around his erection you slowly begin stroking him. He groans and thrusts against your hand again. Sliding down in the bed you settle between his legs and gently pull his pants down below his hips. He stirs beneath you but doesn't open his eyes, you take his cock in your hand and stroke the shaft while swirling your tongue around the head. He groans and shifts his hips, you take the head of his cock in your mouth a gently suck on it while stroking a little faster. He starts panting and groaning and thrusts his hips up again. You smile and slide your hand down around the base of his cock, taking more of his length in your mouth as he continues thrusting against you. 

Sliding your hand up as you return to the head of his cock, his hips jerk once more and he tenses beneath you. His eyes fly open as he comes in your mouth. Swallowing every drop, you lick him clean and slide back up the bed. You settle back in beside him and he shakes his head. “That's a hell of a way to wake up darlin’.”

“After yesterday I thought you could do with a release. Not to mention you were practically asking for it.”

He rolls over on top of you, both hands planted firmly on either side of our head his still slightly erect cock dangling between your thighs. “I was asking for it? If I recall I didn't get the chance to punish you for yesterday.” He lowers himself down until he's pinning you to the bed. “I think you deserve a second punishment for waking me up like that.”

You give him your best look of innocence. “I promise I'll never do it again.”

** Knock knock **

“Bones, I know you're up. You need to come downstairs there's been a new development.”

He groans and rolls off of you back onto the bed and pulls his pants up. “Be right there Jim.” He stands to his feet and turns to look at you. “Don't think this is over sweetheart…” he says pointing a finger at you. 

You crawl down to the end of the bed and smile. “It better not be.”

He disappears into the bathroom and leaves the door cracked behind him. You swing your legs over the edge of the bed and gingerly put weight on your injured ankle. Standing up, you take a few tentative steps toward the closet, thankfully the ankle seems to be alright and you pull the door open to find something to wear for the day. The bathroom door opens and Leonard walks back into the bedroom. “Just what do you think you’re doing?” he asks as he walks up behind you.

“Getting dressed for the day.” you say as you take a blue dress from the rack. 

He wraps his arms around you and kisses your neck, “How’s the ankle feel?”

“Better than yesterday.” 

** Knock Knock **

He sighs and releases you. “I’m coming!” He grabs a pair of jeans and a t-shirt and quickly throws them on before heading out the door. You take your time to change into the blue dress and dig out a pair of comfortable flats. Heading down the stairs you hear Joanna crying outside, you open the door and find Leonard and Joanna sitting on the swing and Jocelyn standing at the bottom of the stairs. Leonard has his arm around his daughter as holds tightly to him and cries. Jim and your father stand to the side of the door. Stepping over to them you look at your father. “What’s going on?”

“I tried to tell them it was a bad idea but they wouldn’t listen. The judge granted Jocelyn custody of Joanna until we can get this sorted out.”

Jim shakes his head, “Since she claims he hit her they’re doing it for Joanna’s safety.” 

You glance over your shoulder and spot a man in a dress uniform walking toward Jocelyn. “Who’s that?”

Your father looks over your shoulder at the man, “That’s the judge. He’s here to make sure Leonard turns Joanna over.”

“The hell he is.” You say as you leave them and walk over to the swing. You take a seat on Joanna’s other side and smooth her hair. She looks up at you with tears in her eyes. 

“Don’t make me go with her. I don’t want to go with her.” she sobs. 

You hold a hand out to her, “Come here sweet girl,” you say quietly. She takes your hand and you both stand, you hold your free hand out to Leonard and nod. “It’s going to be alright.” 

He wipes a tear from his eye and stands to his feet. He takes your hand and you lead them both to the top of the stairs. Putting an arm around Leonard’s waist you position Joanna in front of you and put your arm around her. “We’ve yet to be introduced.” you say looking the judge in the eye. 

He steps forward and tips his hat, “My name is Joshua Bromley. I’m the judge presiding over Doctor McCoy’s case. And you are?”

“Leonard McCoy’s fiancee and the future mother of the little girl you’re trying to take away from him.”

He steps back beside Jocelyn. “Ah, I see.”

“Do you? Do you really see? My fiancee has been accused of hitting his ex-wife and of being an unfit parent. Where is the proof that he struck her? I don’t see any marks on her.”

He looks from you to Jocelyn, “You can’t always…”

“I’m a doctor and I know plenty about domestic violence. Would you like to know what really happened the day he supposedly hit her? Leonard and I were enjoying our second day of shore leave and our first alone together. Jocelyn drops by completely unannounced and tries to force her way into my fiancee’s home. When I told her she wouldn’t be allowed entrance  _ she _ slapped  _ me _ .”

Your father steps up behind you. “I assume you have documented proof of this?”

You smile, “It just so happens I have video proof of this.”

Jocelyn’s color drains and Leonard gives you a little squeeze. “I witnessed this as well.”

Joshua looks up at your father and shakes his head. “That still leaves the accusation of being an unfit parent.”

You laugh, “You want to talk about an unfit parent? Why don’t you ask Jocelyn what Joanna’s favorite food is? Her favorite color? What doll does she sleep with every night? What is she most afraid of? Does she have any allergies?”

Jocelyn scoffs, “Well how am I supposed to know any of those things when I’m not allowed to see her?”

“Her favorite food is mac and cheese. Her favorite color is the same shade of blue I wear everyday on the Enterprise. She sleeps with the doll I sent her on my first mission away from her. She’s terrified of thunderstorms and has been since she was a tiny little thing. Thankfully, unlike her uncle Jim, she’s not allergic to anything. If you want to know what she’s most afraid of now, It’s being taken away from the only home she’s ever known and being given to the mother that left her when she was a baby.”

Joshua stands there and stares at the three of you and then looks at Jocelyn. “What is your proof that he is an unfit parent?”

Her eyes widen and she looks up at you. “She...well he...I…” she huffs and walks off. 

Joshua shakes his head and steps up to you. “It looks like I’ll be dismissing this case after all. I’m sorry for the inconvenience to you and your family Doctor McCoy,” he holds his hand out and Leonard shakes it. “You’ve got quite the little spitfire with that one.”

Leonard nods and smiles, “Yes sir, and I’m sure lucky to have her.”

Joshua tips his hat to you. “Ma’am, that was a hell of a way to make your case and I’m glad I was here to hear it. I don’t usually do this kind of thing but a certain judge advocate general insisted I come.”

You smile and nod, “Thank you sir. We really appreciate it.”

He nods to you both, turns, and leaves. Leonard picks Joanna up and hugs her tightly while your dad wraps an arm around your shoulders. “That’s my girl.”

You laugh and shake your head, “I can’t believe you set that up.”

He takes a step back, “Set what up?” he says feigning a look of innocence.

“Thank you daddy.” You say, kissing him on the cheek.

Leonard sets Joanna back on her feet and wraps his arm around you. “Darlin’, have I told you lately how much I love you?”

You return his embrace and sigh happily. “All the time.” Joanna wraps her arms around your leg and Leonard kisses the top of your head.  Your father pats Leonard on the back, “Take care of my girl?”

“Always sir.”

After spending the day with Jim and Joanna, playing all her favorite games, eating her favorite foods, and just being with her favorite people, Leonard takes Joanna up to get her ready for bed leaving you and Jim alone in the dining room. You talk with him for a while before heading up to your room and changing into your pajamas. Laying on the bed you wait for Leonard to come to bed but you fall asleep while you wait. A while later he comes in and kisses your forehead. “Darlin’, Joanna has something she wants to say to you.”

Opening your eyes you smile at the dark haired little girl standing beside the bed clutching her doll. “Thank you.”

You reach out and rub her arm, “For what sweetheart?”

“For making them go away and letting me stay with daddy.”

You sit up and smile at her, “You’re our little girl sweetie, I wasn’t about to let them take you away.”

She climbs up beside you and wraps her arms around you. “You’re a good mommy.” 

Your breath catches and you look up at Leonard, he smiles and nods, “I agree Doodle-bug.”

She gives you a kiss on the cheek and slips off the bed. A tear slips down your cheek. “Would you like me to tuck you into bed?”

She takes her daddy by the hand and pulls him to the door. “That’s okay, Uncle Jim’s gonna tell me a story.” 

Jim peers around the door and gives a little wave. “Night.” Joanna takes his hand and Leonard closes the door behind them.

He sits down beside you and you snuggle up to him. “What did I ever do to deserve the two of you?”

He holds you close to him, your hand on his chest feeling the beat of his heart beneath your fingers. “You just keep being you darlin’. Did you really have proof she hit you?”

“No, but I knew it’d scare her.” You sigh and close your eyes. “You really think I’ll be a good mother?”

He cups your face in his hand and brushes your cheek with his thumb. “Of course, you’re a natural at it.”

“And you’re such a good daddy. That little girl just adores you.”

He smiles but gives a little shrug, “I’m all she had.”

“Not anymore.” you say as you lay your head on his shoulder. “Lee, there’s something I need to tell you.”

“What is it?”

“I’m pregnant.”

You sit in silence while he processes those two little words, he just stares at you. “Are you sure?”

You laugh and pat his hand, “I wouldn’t have told you if I wasn’t sure.”

A smile spreads across his face and his hand moves down to your stomach, “I’m gonna be a daddy again.” he says almost to himself. Suddenly he jumps up and grabs his medkit. Pulling his tricorder out and kneeling in front of you he scans your stomach, you reach out and put a hand over the tricorder. “I’m fine.”

He looks up at you with a worried look in his eye, “You fell…”

“I twisted my ankle, that’s all. I promise.”

Reluctantly he sets the tricorder on the bedside table and sinks onto the bed beside you again. “How are we going to tell your dad? I got you pregnant before we got married...”

You smile, “I had a feeling you might say that. I have a solution that I think everyone will like, especially since tomorrow is our last day of shore leave.”

  
  


The next day Leonard sits beside you in a shuttle headed for the Enterprise, his fingers entwined with yours. Once the shuttle docks and everyone has disembarked the two of you make your way up to the bridge, you give Leonard’s hand a little squeeze as the doors open to reveal all of your closest friends and family. Jim beams at the two of you walking toward him, Joanna throws a handful of flower petals as you pass her. Stopping in front of Jim he folds his hands in front of him. “We are gathered here today to unite these two souls in the bonds of matrimony.”

  
  



End file.
